How long to spend visiting Venice

Is 2 days enough time for Venice? I was there with my husband 2 years ago for like 4 or 5 days and I know we never got bored... this time I'm going with my family..they've never been there but we're on a tight budget so we were planning on taking hte night train down, spend 1 night and then take the night train back. But the more I think of it, the more I feel like we should stay an extra day? Any opinions?

Two days is enough if it provides you and your family enough time to do what you want to do in Venice.

For me, two days there is plenty. For someone else a week might be more suitable in order to do everything they want to do.

Are your family likely to get bored traipsing around in a group? Will you split off and do your own thing? Do you want to just have a look around or go into lots of churches & museums, etc?

Point being, long enough is as long as you and your family need or want.

I went last year for 3 days, saw all I wanted to see in 2 so spent the third day as a photography day.

Last fall i took the night train down from Munich, arrived at 7am and was on a 330pm to Florence. I was pretty satisfied with what I saw. Certainly not everything. But enough to be satisfied. Venice is expencive.

well I think we want it to be sort of relaxing and not totally rush rush rush like it usually is when they come. And since I'm thinking my mom and her friend will want to browse the shops which takes time. I definitely want to go to Burano...I guess maybe murano aswell. We probably won't spend too much time inside churches and what not. But I remember my favorite part about Venice was just getting lost strolling through all the alies and taking advantage of our vaporetto ticket and just riding it around the grand canal. And I do plan on photographing alot which also takes time.

Guess I'll hafta talk to mom and see if another day is in the budget

2 days is enough time to take in the city atmosphere and still make it to Murano, imo. I have been a few times, once taking the night train down and back the same day, just to see Carnival- even then with the crowds we had enough time to shop.

Yea if it was just me or me and hubby I'd say 2 days is fine... but considering my family has never been and who knows when they'll get the chance again, I'd hate to rush and miss something. So I think I'm going to try and convince my mom that the extra night is worth it

I think 2 full days in most any city will do you fine. I've done Venice, Paris, Rome, and Stockholm all on weekend trips and I felt like I got to see most if not all of what I wanted to see. Guess it really depends on what you want to do and see.

Normally 2 days are fine for healthy, active people. If your parents aren't used to travelling, getting on in the years, or have any sort of difficulty getting around easily then yes I would go for the additional night and enjoy the city at a more leisurely pace. :-)

Two days is cutting it fairly short but I am a sucker for history, art and architecture. If you go to Murano take the vaparetto, not the private boats that go there directly, they are tourist traps. And see if you can squeeze in the graveyard island San Michele somewhere, maybe just before leaving. The campanile on San Marco Square is always crowded, take the boat to San Giorgio Maggiore instead and go up their campanile (elevator), you get amazing views of the city.
Do you have a city guide? Most of them have suggestions for one, two and three days stays. Read up beforehand and check what you want to see, when you are there you know where to go.

I could never spend to much time in Venice in non tourist times.

I would also say 3-4 days as Venice isn't the easiest place to get around with Children or the Elderly.

Fantastic City - we went about 2 weeks ago and had a fantastic time.

Contrary to what someone here said I would throw the guide book in the canal and just enjoy wandering around off the beaten track (as much as that is possible in Venice)

Take the 3-4 day ticket @ the Airport here you have unlimited travel on the public transport boats, I would recommend Lido but we felt that Moreno was a tourist trap

I reckon 2 days is enough as well.. you'll have to go quick, but if they're full days it'll be fine..

Ok thanks for everyone's responses! We've decided to go for the extra night Now I just want to find a good tour guide... can anyone recommend one? Right now I really don't remember much about the city because I pretty much let Hubby do the thinking and planning and just followed but this time I am going to be in charge of all that

Hey, I'm somebody!!! Anyway, read the guide beforehand, as I said, then you know where to go when you are there. Not necessarily how to get there.
Oh dear, I generally buy German guides from DuMont but they are very artsy-fartsy. Browse at Karstadt in the pedestrian zone, I found several good English language ones there. Check how up to date they are (back of the title page), don't get anything older than two years. Make sure they have useful tips such as emergency phone numbers (doctor, pharmacy, consulate) and a comprehensible system of rating restaurants and hotel costs. A page or so of simple phrases also can come in handy. High-gloss pictures are not as helpful as detailed street maps - especialls in Venice.
I envy you, have a great time!
P.S. Go to the Lido for part of that extra day, it gives you a sense of space severely lacking in the town itself.